


Guernsey County Fair

by stareyednight



Category: Professional Wrestling, World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Carnival, Community: cottoncandy_bingo, F/F, Fair, First Kiss, Fluff, Friendship, Pining, Secret Crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-29
Updated: 2012-11-29
Packaged: 2017-11-19 20:19:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,632
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/577254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stareyednight/pseuds/stareyednight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kaitlyn and AJ stop at the Guernsey County Fair because AJ wants to and Kaitlyn can't refuse AJ (and her puppy dog eyes) anything. </p><p>For the Cotton Candy Bingo prompt "Fair/Carnival/Festival".</p>
            </blockquote>





	Guernsey County Fair

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place around the middle of September 2012. Yes, the Guernsey County Fair is real. Bless Ohio for listing their county fairs all on one easy website.

They're driving through the middle of Ohio on the way to Pittsburgh, when they pass a sign on the side of the highway

“Guernsey County Fair,” AJ read out. “Kaitlyn, a fair! We should go!”

Kaitlyn kept her eyes on the road, shaking her head. “A fair? It's, like, seven o'clock. We have to get to the hotel. Check in, sleep. You remember sleep?”

“But Kait... We're way ahead of Eve and Foxy. And Daniel stopped for food with a few of the boys and you know how they get. Pleeeease? Just for an hour or so?”

Kaitlyn made the mistake of looking over at AJ. The other woman had turned in her seat and was giving her best puppy dog eyes, lip sticking out. Kaitlyn turned back to the road, but she knew she was done for. She could never resist AJ anyway, never mind when she turned on the cuteness.

“Alright, alright. Find me a turn off and let the girls know.”

AJ clapped and gave a squeal, grabbing for her phone. She gave Kaitlyn directions from the signs scattered along the highway and soon enough they were pulling into the field designated for parking. Someone in a vest pointed them to a spot and Kaitlyn put the car into park. AJ grabbed a cap - since her rising profile, she was getting recognised a lot more than she used to. Kaitlyn settled for keeping in her driving pigtails and they headed for the gate.

They paid their seven dollars each and stepped into the buzz of the fair. AJ giggled as they entered, grabbing Kaitlyn's arm. “Thank you so much. I love fairs! The lights and the people and cotton candy!”

Kaitlyn laughed and tried not to follow when AJ pulled away. She watched AJ watching everything and her heart gave that little lurch it always gave when she looked at AJ. 

AJ turned back to her with that smile that lit up the world and Kaitlyn let her heart thud as AJ grabbed for her hand.

“I don't want to lose you here!” AJ exclaimed and tugged at Kaitlyn's hand, pulling her along.

“Can you imagine? 'WWE Diva lost at county fair. General Manager AJ Lee at a loss to explain.' Besides, we have cell phones.”

AJ laughed, but shook her head stubbornly. “I'd never let you get lost! Besides, it's no fun if we're not together.” She turned away and headed straight for the rides, still dragging Kaitlyn. Kaitlyn swallowed past the fluttering of her heart.

Sometimes it completely sucked to have a massive crush on your best friend.

AJ turned back. “Come on, Kait, bumper cars!” Kaitlyn laughed and let AJ tug her by the wrist over to the line.

After the bumper cars, they rode the Sizzler, the Octopus, the Gravitron and a weird roller coaster 3D simulator. Kaitlyn still wasn't sure about that last one, but AJ was grinning that bright sunshiney smile, so what was she going to do?

“Let's take a ride break, AJ,” she suggested. “I think my head needs a time out from all the spinning.”

“Okay,” AJ agreed readily. “Oh, let's play some games! We can win the guys some ridiculous stuff.” Kaitlyn tried to ignore the way her heart sunk and followed AJ over to the lit-up booths where she was trying to decide between the duck pond and the water guns.

“Why don't we do both?” Kaitlyn suggested and AJ beamed up at her, causing her traitor of a heart to bounce back up again. “I think we can afford it.”

AJ laughed delightedly and bounced off to the ducks, looking very much like her tv self. Kaitlyn caught up and they both paid to receive a short pole with a hook on it.

“You hook up three ducks and the colour on the dot underneath tells you which prize you win,” the teenager in charge of the booth told them as they looked at the pond of rubber ducks floating around.

“Let's go duck huntin',” Kaitlyn drawled and they went for it, giggling, until they had each hooked three ducks. Kaitlyn's won her a stuffed whale the size of her hand and some sparkly pink hair clips. AJ had a stuffed octopus to match the whale and a stuffed carrot with arms and legs.

“Look, it's a fail whale!” Kaitlyn swam hers through the air and AJ laughed. “I'm not sure what I'm going to do with these clips, though. Do I look like that girl? Maybe I'll give them to Nattie?”

“Here.” AJ took one off the cardboard and slipped it in her hair. Then she reached out and slid the other in Kaitlyn's, who was holding her breath as AJ's fingers brushed past her cheek. “Now we're both sharing in the dorkiness,” AJ continued blithely and Kaitlyn remembered to start breathing again.

“I think I'm going to give the carrot to Daniel. Maybe with a little sign that says “Don't eat me!”. AJ wiggled the carrot and Kaitlyn giggled with her. “And, the octopus to Punk because 'soooomeone's a cuddler',” she quoted and Kaitlyn managed a laugh.

“Hey, the water guns,” Kaitlyn remarked suddenly, directing them over in a desperate effort to keep the tiny bubble of AJ and Kaitlyn time. They found two unclaimed guns beside each other and lined up their shots at the clowns' mouths while the man in charge called for more people to join for a bigger prize.

“I'm going for the Yoshi stuffie,” AJ declared. Kaitlyn scanned the rows of cheap toys.

“Well, I want the pink butterfly. It'll match my Diva's Championship when I get my match.”

The bell to start rang and they both squirted for their lives. Kaitlyn saw AJ inching past her on the board and 'accidentally' elbowed her. AJ gasped in mock outrage and hip-checked Kaitlyn. The bell rang again and the ten year old boy on the end accepted a stuffed dog with glee.

They collected their already won toys and they were still giggling as they wandered along further. They passed a strongman's test, complete with the bell and levels with titles from 'Noodle Arms' to 'Thor'.

“Girls, why don't you give it a try? Ladies have smaller targets for a prize.” The older man running the gamed nodded at AJ. “We even have hammers in your size.”

They looked at each other. AJ's lips were quirked as if she weren't sure to be insulted or amused. Kaitlyn raised an eyebrow and AJ raised one back. They turned to the man and smiled.

“Okay, it can't be too hard,” AJ said in her sweetest tv-AJ voice.

“Little lady, you grab that pink hammer and if you reach 'Bombshell', you'll get a toy.”

AJ looked at the pink stripes that showed the women's target lines. “What if I get 'Knockout?' What do I get?”

The man looked skeptical. “Then you get one of the medium sized ones.”

AJ smiled that deceptively sweet smile again and hefted the hammer. Kaitlyn allowed herself to enjoy the way the muscles moved under AJ's skin, turned more golden by the evening sun, before AJ brought the hammer down and sent the little ball soaring up over 'Knockout'.

“You should get to repaint it 'Diva',” Kaitlyn muttered as the surprised man fetched AJ her coveted Yoshi toy and she laughed. “My turn,” Kaitlyn said.”

A little warier, he looked at Kaitlyn's arms, but took her money. Sometimes, Kaitlyn hated her arms for being too muscled and a bit short. But, now, as she grabbed the blue hammer and lifted it up, she loved them. One, two, three, and she swung. The ball shot up and nudged up and past 'Wonder Woman' and AJ cheered behind her.

“You blew out the women's!” AJ bounced in place. “You're so awesome. Wait 'til we tell everyone!”

“Well, miss, you get to pick from anything,” the man offered with some new respect.

“The big stuffed snake, please,” Kaitlyn requested after some thought. He handed it to her and she held up the head and pointed it at AJ. “Cobra!” she cried and AJ started giggling again as they walked off.

“Oh, we are so giving that to him!”

“Oh, yeah!” She looked over at AJ, who was clutching her toys with both arms. “Car run? Then food, because I'm starving and everything smells _so_ good.” AJ nodded her agreement eagerly and they got stamps at the gate and dropped their goodies off at the car.

They decided to leave their hats in the car, as it was getting close to dark and the sky was streaking pink and purple over the fair. They bought corn dogs, fries, nachos with actual cheese and huge sodas, and wandered over to a patch of grass to eat and watch the people go by. Kaitlyn started counting John Cena tshirts and was up to seventeen by the time they finished.

AJ threw herself backwards on the grass. “Oh, that was awesome. I'm stuffed.”

“Too stuffed for hot donuts?” Kaitlyn teased and AJ sat up. Kaitlyn laughed and held a hand out to help AJ up. The stupid part of her brain wibbled when AJ popped to her feet right under Kaitlyn's nose and nearly against her. She wrapped an arm around AJ and gave herself that micro second of what she wanted before giving AJ a silly, overdone squeeze and letting go. “Let's get some donuts and then we need to get back on the road.”

AJ pouted for show and nodded. “This was a great idea, though, wasn't it.”

“Yeah, it was. You win.”

“Yes!” AJ threw both hands up in the air and pointed at the sky. “Yes! This means you're paying for my cotton candy.”

“Thanks, _D-Bry_. And, hey, I though you wanted donuts.”

“I changed my mind. I want cotton candy. On a stick, not those weird tubs. That's not real cotton candy. It needs to be fresh.”

Kaitlyn rolled her eyes as they moved up to the front of the line. She got half a dozen hot cinnamon sugar donuts and AJ's cotton candy. “Here you go, crazy.”

AJ gave her the crazy eyes and tore a huge bite out of the cotton candy, ruining the effect when she nearly inhaled it. They wandered slowly back through the fair. It was actually dark now and the lights from the rides and games and other stands lit everything in a way that was warm and almost unreal, like a movie about a fair.

Kaitlyn looked over at AJ, who was looking around. The lights were making her skin glow and her eyes shine and Kaitlyn had no explanation for what happened next.

“I wish you were my girlfriend,” comes out of her mouth and she barely resisted the urge to clap both hands over her mouth.

AJ looked at her, the little crease in her forehead that meant she was puzzled appearing. She had a hunk of cotton candy stuck to one finger and her cheeks flushed pink. “What?” she asked, but her blush said she'd heard.

Kaitlyn felt like a panicked animal. What had she done? She could feel the heat in her cheeks and her heart raced. “I'm- I'm sorry. I didn't mean to- oh my god. I'm sorry. I'll never... again.” She vaguely realised she'd dropped the rest of her donuts, but couldn't seem to care. They still had a few hours of driving left. Would AJ even want to, or would she call someone else (Punk, Daniel, Kofi, her brain helpfully supplied) to pick her up. Who would AJ ask to swap rooms with her?

“How long?” AJ asked quietly, staring down at her cotton candy. 

Kaitlyn didn't have to ask what she meant, didn't try to stall. “A while,” she admitted, the feeling of heartbreak nearly swamping her.

“Why didn't you tell me?” AJ finally looked up at her, confused.

Kaitlyn shook her head, swallowing past the lump forming in her chest. “How do you tell your best friend you're crazy about her? I figured it was better to be your friend and still get to be around you, than have you not want to travel with me anymore.” She took a deep breath, willing herself not to tear up and not be ashamed that AJ knew. She was sorry, but maybe it was for the best. No more hiding.

Suddenly, AJ was a step closer. She looked up at Kaitlyn, thoughtful. “Okay.”

Kaitlyn blinked at her. “What?”

“Okay,” AJ repeated. “I'd like that.” She was giving Kaitlyn that soft smile Kaitlyn was used to seeing directed at Daniel or Punk and usually on tv.

“Like what?” Kaitlyn asked, her brain still trying to process all her emotions and have a conversation at the same time.

“To be your girlfriend. If that's still what you want?” AJ looked unsure for a moment.

A tingling seemed to sweep over her whole body as Kaitlyn stared at AJ. “Really?” she whispered.

AJ stepped even closer, her face again radiating affection. “Really.” She held out her hand and Kaitlyn took it and laced their fingers together. AJ's many bracelets rested against her hand and Kaitlyn exhaled.

“Wow. I can't even...”

AJ grinned up at her, the happiness lighting up her face eclipsing the fair lights as she gently tugged Kaitlyn into motion and they headed for the way out again.

Just before they reached the gates, Kaitlyn paused and drew AJ to the side. There was a scraggly little tree that nearly touched the ticket booth and it created a little pocket of shadow that people wandered past without noticing. She pulled AJ so they were just hidden by the edges of the shadow and, placing her hands on AJ's forearms, she leaned in to press her lips to AJ's.

AJ kissed her back and it was like fireworks behind her eyes. AJ's lips were soft and she smelled like she always did and tasted like cotton candy, and Kaitlyn was kind of in emotional overload. AJ kissed her firmly, but sweetly, with just a tiny nibble on her lip, and it was nothing like how she'd been on tv. Kaitlyn's heart expanded even more because this was just for her. AJ slid her hands up Kaitlyn's arms and stroked her thumb over Kaitlyn's cheek as they finally parted.

Foreheads pressed together, they smiled giddily at each other for a minute. Then, AJ's phone beeped and she ruefully pulled it out of her pocket, scowling at the text message.

“Eve and Alicia are at the hotel and want to know where we are. They're hungry. 'We just ate. See you when we get there soon.'” she dictated as she typed, before slipping the phone back in her pocket. “We should probably get going.”

They slid back into the crowd and let it flow them out the exit and back to the car. “I think you're going to have to drive,” Kaitlyn said. “I don't think my brain can process this much happiness and still focus on the road.”

AJ smiled at her and squeezed Kaitlyn's hand. “Fine. But, only under the condition that you fill me in on everything that lead up to this.” She leaned in to fish the keys out of Kaitlyn's pocket and Kaitlyn let herself press her nose and lips to the side of AJ's head because this time she _could_ , before AJ gave her a gorgeous smile and a tiny kiss before bouncing over to her side of the car.

“Deal.” Kaitlyn slid into the car and watched AJ resettle the seat and start taking them back to the highway. She turned the radio on and AJ laughed when she started singing along, and it was just like every other time, but so much better.


End file.
